OXFORD shoppers will be given an environmentally friendly nudge when supermarket chain Sainsburys bans disposable bags tomorrow.

Shoppers will be given free re-usable 'Bags for Life' made from 100 per cent recycled material instead of the plastic carrier bags usually available at the checkout.

Nicola Barrett, spokesman for the Westgate centre branch of Sainsbury's in Oxford, said: "The company is urging customers to keep and reuse the bags on future shopping trips."

Sainsbury's expects to hand out more than 9,000 reusable bags, which normally cost 10p, to customers on the day from its Westgate store. The bags can be reused at least 20 times, and when they are worn out Sainsbury's will replace them free.